Gmail’s Self-Destructing Emails Coming Soon; WhatsApp Allows Access To Deleted Media!
Google is testing a new feature in Gmail, which will enhance the privacy of users.
It seems that the ongoing privacy fiasco concerning Facebook is affecting one and all. Rumours are in that Google is testing a new feature in Gmail, which will enhance the privacy of users.
Meanwhile, WhatsApp has once again made a major change in their ‘delete’ feature: Media files deleted up to 2 months back can be now downloaded again!
Gmail’s New Feature Makes Sense!
As per rumours coming in from various sources, Google is now testing a new feature in their Gmail interface, which will allow users to send self-destructing emails.
Self-destructing emails is a feature which currently provided by privacy-centric email providers such as ProtonMail and others.
This is for the first time that Google is considering such emails, and the privacy issue triggered by Facebook’s data theft seems the most likely reason.
We had reported last week that Google is right now redesigning their Gmail interface after almost 4 years, and the new self-destructing emails can be part of this new change.
Self-Destructing Emails: How Will It Work?
As per rumours coming in, Gmail will now work beyond the industry standard POP3/IMAP/SMTP protocols; and introduce self-destructing emails, based on a new protocol.
As per screenshot obtained by TechCrunch, there shall be a button called “confidential mode” in the compose email screen. Once clicked, the emails sent won’t be able to be forwarded, copy and paste, download or print.
An expiry date can be set, lasting one hour to one year, and even an SMS based confirmation step can be introduced, thereby providing top level privacy and security.
As per the screenshots, the recipient will receive a link in the email, which will have the confidential message.
It is still not clear whether some advanced encryption will be established or not; and whether non-Gmail users will be able to access this confidential email or not.
Google hasn’t yet confirmed this development. More details are awaited.
WhatsApp Allows Access To Deleted Media Files!
In 2016, when WhatsApp announced fully encrypted messages, we had assumed that WhatsApp doesn’t store any of the messages.
Later, then they introduced delete message feature, then we were 100% sure that once a message is deleted, there is no way it can be retrieved.
They even said the same to SEBI!
But, it seems we all were wrong. As per new developments, WhatsApp has now allowed retrieving deleted media files, even after 2 months of its deletion.
This new development has been found by WaBetaInfo, a leading blog on WhatsApp updates.
As per the new update, any media file such as image, video, gif, voice message or document which you received till 2 months back, and deleted, can be retrieved from WhatsApp’s servers.
WeBetaInfo said,
“This automatically translates in the fact that WhatsApp continues to store our media on their servers also after downloading them.”
This new development is part of WhatsApp’s 2.18.106 and 2.18.110 updates.
Do you think this is a good feature from WhatsApp?
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